Strange Little Boy
by sue-sylvester-shuffle
Summary: Minerva McGonagall reflects on the strange, dark-haired little boy that she had always liked, despite his being in Slytherin, and wishes that she could help him now.


"I think I'll take this back to my office." said Severus quietly, picking up his dinner plate- which he had scarcely picked at, an agitated look in his dark eyes- and standing up from the staff table.

"What?" From the seat beside him, Minerva looked up, her green eyes sparkling with concern. "Severus, you've only just sat down. Why don't you stay a while?"

He avoided her gaze. "I have a lot of work to do." he murmured, striding briskly away. Minerva thought she heard a, "Goodnight, Minerva" thrown over his shoulder as he left, but with Severus Snape, you could never be sure.

Minerva sighed, shaking her head, and turned back to her own food. Someone across the table called, "Ignore him, Minerva," but somehow, she couldn't.

Minerva could still remember the strange little boy she'd taught so many years ago, with his long, dark hair and eager appetite for learning. He had always been very quiet, with the air of someone who had given up on craving for attention and decided that he was worth none. He was always with Lily Evans, Minerva remembered. She chuckled at the memory of them together; Severus had always looked at her with such admiration. She was everything he was not; popular, friendly, happy. But Lily liked him very much, despite everything that made him so unpopular with the other students. In fact, she might have been the only student who did like Severus.

Minerva had always hated it when she saw James Potter and Sirius Black picking on him, despite the fact that they were Gryffindors- her own House- and Severus a Slytherin. Because of this, she was more reluctant to get involved, and to leave that to Severus's own Head of House, Professor Slughorn. This, she regretted. But luckily, a teacher's involvement was hardly ever necessary; Lily took care of everything. She'd yell at anyone who dared to lay a finger on Severus. Minerva admired this; Lily truly was, forever and always, a Gryffindor.

And then there was the day, in Severus's fifth year, when Minerva had found the poor boy sitting outside the Gryffindor common room, crying. She remembered it well…

• • •

"Severus?"

He had looked up at her, dark eyes red from crying. "P-Professor." he gasped. "I… I'm sorry… I'll go now…"

"No, no. Wait a moment." Minerva sat down next to him, despite her old bones screaming in protest. "What's wrong?"

"Well…" He sniffled, and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "It's… it's L-Lily… Lily Evans…" The name brought new tears to his eyes.

"What about her?"

"I did a really, really bad thing." Severus whispered tremulously. "I called her a… a Mu…"

Minerva was shocked. "Severus, you didn't call her a-?" Severus had held Lily in higher regard than anyone else he knew; the professor couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry!" He burst into tears again and hid his face, his shoulders shaking with each sob.

Despite what he had done, Minerva still felt bad for the boy. "Come here." she murmured soothingly, wrapping her arm around him and pulling him closer. He didn't recoil, which surprised her. Severus was so jumpy. The only person he really let touch him was Lily.

"Sh-She's the only one who l-liked me." Severus sobbed. "And n-now…"

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It _is._"

Minerva sighed, a frown etching itself onto her face. "Well, I'm sure that everything will turn out alright, my boy."

"It _won't!_"

And it didn't. Minerva watched him, friendless, delve further and further into the Dark Arts… years passed… and now…

Severus was a quiet man, just as he had been a quiet boy. But he wasn't shy anymore; it was more of an unwilling silence. Minerva knew he had secrets; she also knew that he kept them hidden, safe within himself. The only other person that knew these secrets was Albus Dumbledore. He confided much in Minerva, but never anything concerning Severus, which disappointed Minerva. Not because she wanted to be nosy, but because she thought she could help the dark-haired Slytherin if she only knew what was wrong.

But it couldn't be helped. He had always been a strange, sad little boy, and now he was a strange, sad man. Perhaps people never changed.


End file.
